Our new chairs!

What a great weekend - I went to Krista's beautiful baby shower, had Karen and Yara over, got some mad Etsy love, and our new chairs arrived!  We had ordered them so many months ago I really forgot what they looked like.  They are a little more formal-looking than I thought, but they do seem to fit the room nicely.  Who knows how long they will stay so beautifully cream with two little boys, but we did Scotch Guard the heck out of them!  Will can climb into them, so that is a success.  And Yara and Karen seemed to find them comfortable...  What do you think?

They make me love the new paint colour and curtains even more.  And make that fireplace plaster stick out like a sore thumb...must fix that next!

HELLO ETSY!!

HOOO boy I am so excited - Christine featured my house on the Etsy blog today!  I LOVE this column and was so flattered when she emailed.  She did a stellar job of picking cool Etsy items that reflect my 'style' - I really love them.  Chris is a little worried that we will end up with the whole list in our house.  He mentioned that it would be like someone featuring his bikes on a bike blog and suggesting a whole bunch of other bikes and cool accessories to go with his style.  I know... he's so funny...  like people read bike blogs...  seriously, he has the best sense of humour.

Anyway, welcome to anyone who stopped by from Etsy!  I hope you like the blog.

If you didn't see it, check out the feature!

Eva Juliet

I have had these Montrealer Eva Juliet's lovely shop bookmarked for a while, and when I saw her on Design*Sponge today I thought I should take another look.  I have never really had specific "kitchen art," nor have I ever really had space in a kitchen FOR art, but these lovely drawings would be my pick if I ever did.  I love her simple renderings of herbs and spices, as well as her kitchen collections (which remind me of Lisa Congdon). Maybe someday?

Subtle vinyl

I was always on the fence a bit about the whole wall decal business.  Some of them I really liked, and I looked at quite a few on etsy and other sites, but when it came down to getting one, I just never did.  Part of it, perhaps, is that we have so many things to hang, and not enough wall space, so the thought of having a wall decal up instead of actual art just never made sense.  But they also got kind of predictable and ubiquitous, and in the end I think I am glad I didn't get one.

However, I just came across these wall decals from Tasty Suite (on Bloesem) and I think I could live with them - especially this first one.  They are more subtle and fun, less of a statement, which is I think more appropriate for wall decals!  Here are a few of my favs:

OK, so this one isn't subtle, but I do kind of like it.  You could stick it (get it?) in a corner somewhere...

Fun for the kiddies rooms!

The Dreamiest Dream House

OH yeah - THIS is where I want to live.  This gorgeous house is actually a houseboat, on the Thames River in London. What an idilic life!  The setting is unreal, and the decor of the house is right up my alley too (hello colour-coded bookshelf!).  The full story is here, complete with links to help you find some of the art and furnishings, but I saw it on Elements of Style.

The grass is greener...

How cool is this charging station?  I think a charging station would be great as I am famous for finding my camera/cellphone/ipod is dead only when I go to use it.  I would love to have a place when I get in that would remind me to take said device out of my purse and plug it in.  This one is great  as it would add a nice bit of colour and freshness to the entryway!  And it isn't too expensive, only problem is that it is out of stock.  Boo.

It also reminds me of this drying rack, which is also pretty cool and affordable!

I seem to have grass/green/spring on the brain lately...

Gotta love a good design quiz

In an eternal quest for self-knowledge, I take many quizes.  Granted, the Cosmo ones never really provided much insight.  Here are a couple of recent-to-me ones design quizes that I thought were fun:


The HomeGoods Quiz was designed by Deborah Needleman, the founding editor of Domino Magazine (RIP).  It was mostly on the money, I think.  My style is "Bohemian Casual", which is good to know, as I have been asked that recently and had no idea what to say.  Here is the description:

You are interested in creating a place where people feel relaxed. You have a variety of interests and influences and so appreciate different styles, cultures, and objects. Your home is cozy, with comfy chairs, throw pillows and places to set a drink or a book. But it also feels creative and visually intriguing, because you have an artist's eye that allows you to find objects that appeal to you in a unique and personal way—whether from your travels or from a local shop. This gives your home a feeling of being laid-back, and maybe even a bit quirky with its mix of pieces—some of which are classic, some handmade, some ethnic, and some just rich in meaning to you.

You value comfort. Your home is a warm and open friendly place, and you feel happiest when everyone is cared for and relaxed in your space. Elements like pillows, throws, overstuffed furniture, and good lighting set the mood. You may also enjoy layering different fabrics or mixing patterns to create a cozy effect.

I would say that is about right, what do you think?  However, they might now be so right with the colours part...

Yug.  They make me think of a diaper I changed this morning... (sorry).  I guess maybe as an accent pillow or something... I don't know...


The Sproost Style Quiz is also fun to take. My style is primarily "Rustic Revival" (is that the same as Bohemian Casual?  Is there a dictionary for this stuff?), with some "Vintage Modern" and "Arts and Crafts" mixed in:

Rustic Revival

You can take kid out of the country but you can't take the country out of the kid... or is your theme "you can take the kid out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the kid?" Either way you play it, you are one of the unique individuals who loves a mix of modern and country. The clean lines of the modern softened by rustic /vintage elements is the perfect mix in your mind. And can we blame you? You've taken the best aspects of two popular designs and mixed them in a manner that appeals young and old alike. A subtle background of white or light colors provides a nice canvas for all the wonderful flea market, eBay or garage sale finds as well as the classic modern pieces that you love. 

Materials

The material palette for urban country runs the gamut because of the two extremes being mixed. On the countryside you see a lot of wood, woven rope, canvas and linen, rustic metals and wrought iron, cowhide and vintage leather. On the more modern side, you see acrylic, satin and polished nickel and chrome, glass, faux fur, refined leather, fiberglass and sleek woods. It's the mixing of these elements that makes the style work so well. Seagrass and other natural woven materials are often used for floor coverings. Concrete and natural wood floors are very popular, and work really well together.

Colors

When it comes to color, think light, casual and airy. White, pale gray or beige, khaki and sage; all of these colors make nice, subtle backdrops for Urban Country style. (Wait - I thought it was Bohemian Rustic Casual Revival?) Think of the colors of natural linen, concrete, and if you'd like to go dark, use the dark brownish-black of iron or the deep burnt orange of rust. The key is to keep the spaces feeling open (go modern!) and yet warm (yay for rustic!), and by going light on the walls and major pieces and more color on the accents and accessories you can achieve this mix really well.

Certainly the images they include as examples are places I wouldn't mind living:

What do you think?  What's your style? Cause mine's Bohemian-Urban-Country-Rustic-Vintage-Revival-Arts and Crafts. Duh.


Found via.

Summer bracelet

How pretty are these lovely bracelets from Etsy shop Junghwa by Amy Stewart?  They seem so beachy and summery to me - I would love them with a white linen shirt with the cuffs rolled up...